A barn that had stood unused for nearly half a century, a dwelling that had been more ruin than home for even longer, an old wing that had lost both its roof and its floors, a location outside the building zone, an annexe deemed unsightly by the authorities, which we were strongly advised to demolish in order to restore the building as closely as possible to its original form… This set rather complicated starting conditions for this large-scale project.

We began, first of all, with research and investigations into the alterations made to the house over the years, in order to determine what was actually habitable as of 1 July 1972 (the basis for calculating increases in habitable floor area within the HZB). Next, a thorough study of the building was carried out, from the roof structure to the foundations, in order to draw up a comprehensive assessment of the structure. And finally, working in close collaboration with the Lausanne Territorial Development Service (SDT) led us to devise ingenious spatial solutions to meet cantonal requirements, whilst ensuring compliance with our clients’ specifications. Thus, whilst preserving the old stone walls and the original timber frame, we have delivered a high-quality, distinctive and contemporary project that remains true to the spirit of the existing structure.

The conceptual design, including the layout of the spaces and circulation routes, has enabled us to ensure that the main volume of the barn remains largely unchanged, housing the living room, dining room, kitchen and vertical circulation routes. The bedrooms and ancillary spaces are therefore located either on the lower ground floor or on either side of the central volume.

We also had to consider how to bring light into such a space. The existing openings were retained – or at least their positions – with permission to enlarge them, in some cases quite significantly. The installation of fixed windows with sloping frames, integrated into the layout of the solar panels, has brought exceptional light into the entire space and has highlighted both the period materials and the more recent ones.

Originally used for fodder and the storage of agricultural equipment and machinery, these spaces now offer a glimpse of the past, which is brought to the fore in a striking way, where contemporary spaces, a sliding barn door, glass walls, a two-hundred-year-old roof structure and new technologies coexist, all now forming a coherent home within a magnificent space that is simple, light and understated, with a magnificent view of Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc.

Services : Project study / Design / Lighting design / Plans and 3D renderings / Official documents / Construction management

Area : 400m2

Date : 2020

Contractors :

• Civil engineer : Martins Ingénieurs Conseils, Puidoux
• Roofing and interior joinery : Pittet Frères SA, Vaulruz
• Screed : Balzan + Imme SA, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne
• Heating, Ventilation and Sanitary : Riviera Chauffage-Sanitaire Sàrl, Yvorne
• Parquet flooring : GeneralBat Sàrl, Le Mont-sur-Lausanne
• Electrical work : ATE Electricité Sàrl, Bercher
• Kitchens : Amplitude & Fils SA, Rossens
• Roof glazing : Kowalski Verre SA, Romont
• Locksmithing : Bruno Tomasso